Hilo Shopping Tips by rexvaughan Top 5 Page for this destination

Hilo Market: Local Bargains

The Hilo market is a great place especially for fresh flowers, fruits and vegetables at bargain prices. Bouquets of tropical flowers including Birds of Paradise, Orchids and Anthurium sell for about $5. If I could get the same thing at home it would be 10 to 20 times that much. They also have lots of other items - clothing, decorative items, musical instruments and household items. In many ways it reminds me of market days in Europe.

What to buy: Most of the merchants are local folk, many of whom produce what they are selling. I visited with one many selling specially grown and roasted coffee - done right on the island and it was delicious coffee. Locally grown products abound, especially fruits, veggies and flowers.

What to pay: Just about everything I saw here was a real bargain so depends on what and how much you buy.

Directions: Near downtown Hilo. Market is open on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

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Hilo Hattie: Fun stuff & Hawaiian shirts

Hilo Hattie has just about anything you could want in terms of souvenirs. Also, as you enter the store each person is given a shell necklace/lei, a small orchid for your hair (I looked truly lovely in mine) and a small complimentary cup of coffee.

They have all sorts of clothing, jewelry, beachwear, candles, specialty foods and coffe as well as home nick nacks.

What to buy: We bought really nice looking and understated (for Hawaii) Hawaiian shirts. My wife wanted the same shirt for each of the grandchildren and this is never easy to find. However here she found identical shirts in all sizes - bought them for our children & their spouses as well as grandchildren ages 4-11. Ten shirts in all!! Oh well, they gave us 2 good sized boxes of chocolate chip macadamia nut cookies and a coffee mug as well as a discount.

What to pay: Prices are not bad so it depends on how much you buy.

Address: Kona and Hilo

Directions: Kona: corner of Palani Rd & Kuakini Hwy
Hilo: Corner of Hwy 11 and Makaala St in the Pince Kuhio Plaza.

Open 365 days/yr 8:30-6:00.

Phone: Kona 329-7200, Hilo 961-3077

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